Some of country music’s biggest stars turned out in Nashville last night for the BMI Awards, which honor the year’s best in songwriting. Taylor Swift was fresh off her SNL appearance to take a turn down the red carpet in white before she went onstage to accept an award for “Love Story.” Nicole Kidman was there to keep her husband Keith Urban company as they laughed their way through the evening. The BMIs are a precursor to tonight’s big CMA Awards, where tons of country singers will come out to celebrate the genre. Both Keith and Taylor are in the running for Entertainer of the Year, so we can expect to see the duo back out again this evening.

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Nominated yesterday for four Golden Guitars for the 2010 Tamworth Country Music Awards, the Caboolture muso turned international superstar has had bigger fish to fry in his adopted home of Nashville, which is celebrating country music week.

After strolling the red carpet with his wife Nicole Kidman at the Broadcast Music Inc Country Awards on Tuesday, Urban is up for the top gong of Entertainer of the Year at the Country Music Association Awards, competing against four-time winner and reigning champion Kenny Chesney and newcomer Taylor Swift.

While he has no plans to return to the Tamworth stage that launched his career, Urban arrives in Australia later this month to perform at the ARIA Awards before a string of tour dates in December.